Friday, May 1, 2009

Summer Festivals

May has brought with it sunny days and growing buzz about this year's line-ups for the summer music festival season in Barcelona. For more information on ticket purchases, check out www.barcelonarocks.com. In the meantime, here's a quick rundown on the upcoming events.

The end of this month sees Primavera Sound´s return. Starting Saturday, the 23rd, and ending the following Sunday, the 31st, this year offers a great mix of groups and genres with the likes of Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo, My Bloody Valentine, Neil Young and Ghost Face Killah among many, many others. Personally, I'm excited to check out my favorite groups of the past year, Deerhunter and the New Year on Saturday, and Duchess Says on the closing Sunday. You can buy either a three-day ticket for 155-euros or a one-day pass for seventy, depending on your budget. And, once again it takes place at the Forum with the Apollo night club serving as the opening nights' venue.

On June 18th Barcelona welcomes the start of Sonar - the world famous electronic and multimedia festival. Bringing with it an international crowd, you don't have to be an electronic music lover to enjoy the sites and sounds of a truly unique event. In addition to such Sonar staples as Jeff Mills and Richie Hawtinn (a late edition), you get a chance to experience the sonic experimentation of the Animal Collective, plus the return of Orbital and the one-and-only Grace Jones. A three-day, all-access pass costs 140-euros, while a single night-time ticket runs forty-eight. For thirty, you can buy a day-pass and explore the tents in one of the city's better venues. Tickets are limited and quick to go, so you better get 'em early.

Finally, Benicassim arrives on July 16th. Located outside Barcelona and closer to Valencia, it's three days of camping, drinking and other things, while listening to a line-up that includes the likes of TV on the Radio, Paul Weller, the Walkmen, and Nacho Vegas. You need to spend 170 on a four-day pass to get a camping space, and there's a limited number, so act quickly. Otherwise, there's the four-day, no camping pass for 120-euros or a day-ticket for seventy. Just keep in mind it's about three hours from Barcelona.

And, for all those lovers of the softer-side of indy music, I'm sorry to report that Summercase has been canceled this year due to the economic conditions.